​Recently I’ve been seeing a number of before and after photos of women on social media, but in reverse — where the before looks like an after and the after looks like a before, at least compared to what we’re used to seeing in advertisements for weight-loss programs or products. These images are often posted by women who admit to having struggled with an eating disorder. The posts are meant to be body-positive and to showcase progress in recovery, to celebrate that they’ve learned to love their “after,” flaws and all, and to inspire others that they too can break free of their eating disorder and love their healthy, recovered “after.” For those of you who have seen these posts, this is nothing new.

But here’s something you might not have considered. I’ve found myself wondering lately if these “after’s” are really body-positive. Let’s look at some pros & cons.

Are these reverse before and after’s broadening the definition of beauty by increasing acceptance of larger bodies & those that deviate from the thin-ideal? Yep. Pro.

Do these images promote the idea of embracing our imperfections and really loving ourselves unapologetically without conditions? Yes. Absolutely.Pro.

But. . .

By posting & applauding images like these, are we still focusing on our appearance above all else? Well, yeah, sort of. Con. Let’s talk about all of the other wonderful “after’s” in eating disorder recovery. A well-nourished, eating disorder behavior-free body yields incredible improvements in so many of our body’s functions — our bones are stronger and we have fewer aches and pains, our hair, nails, skin undergo repair, our oral & digestive health improves, our brain isn’t so starved so that mental “fog” lifts, and our hearts aren’t under so much stress — we aren’t so preoccupied with food and imprisoned by fear, shame, and rigidity, our mood stabilizes, we develop more meaningful relationships with others, we may perform better academically or at work, we are able to discover our true passions and interests outside of food and exercise, and so much more.

Aren’t these images inspiring to those suffering from eating disorders? Like, “You can love your body too. Trust me. I did it. Stay strong!” This one is a little tougher to dissect. You could argue both sides. Some might find these reverse before and after’s inspiring. I, for one, do not. So for me, con. And I know several other women in recovery that feel the same. I see these images as a dangerous catalyst for comparison. Every body is different, and recovery looks different on everyone too. Someone who is struggling, someone in a very black-and-white, this-or-that place, might see it this way: “That body, and only that body, is what a recovered body looks like.” But what if their recovered body looks different? I can tell you where that can lead: fear, doubt, distress, and shame. Furthermore, posts like this seem to promote the idea that eating disorder recovery has a clear-cut, wrapped-up-in-a-pretty-bow ending. Like “Hey, I made it. I’m recovered!” Though some might relate, the majority of those in eating disorder recovery do not. Eating disorder recovery is often a long, zig-zaggy path, and for many it’s a life-long struggle — even if all that remains is a nagging voice that pops up every now and again to remind you that you’re not good enough, thin enough, or eating “healthy” enough.​I will admit that captions along with these posts and images can shift the take-away message to some degree, but sometimes an image says more than words do. This certainly isn’t a black-and-white issue. How we interpret these reverse before and after photos has a lot to do with where we’ve been and our own relationship with our bodies. I’m curious. What do you think? Are these posts body-positive or not-so-much?​By Jessica L. Betts, MS, RD, LDProgram DirectorREbeL, Inc.

​Around Thanksgiving, we tend to focus a lot on expressing gratitude. For the family members and friends who surround us, for the roof over our head, for the food on our table, for the clothes on our back. This is external gratitude — appreciating and being grateful for the blessings all around us. We hear how important it is not to take what we have for granted. While I agree, with all of this focus on external gratitude, we often find ourselves taking ourselves for granted.

One thing, one very important thing, we take for granted is our body. Have you stopped to consider lately all that your body has done for you? This is what I like to call turning gratitude inward.

We don’t often turn our gratitude inward and appreciate our bodies. Why? Because we spend so much of our time and energy at war with our bodies. Because we can’t see and many of us don’t understand all the hard work that our bodies do. Because we’ve been trained to distrust our bodies, to control them, to compare them to other bodies, and to value what our bodies look like over health our health.

I call for a ceasefire. Let’s throw up a figurative peace sign and take a moment to express a little gratitude for all that our bodies do.​

Did you know that your body is made up of trillions of cells whose purpose is to keep you alive?

Did you know that your liver and kidneys’ jobs are to detoxify our bodies? No cleanse necessary!

Did you know that pain, illness, hunger, fullness, even joy — all of these are our bodies’ way of communicating with us? Steering us in the right direction. Protecting us.

Did you know that your digestive tract breaks down all of the foods you consume into usable fuel and other important nutrients?

Did you know that your heart beats and sends your blood traveling thousands of miles every day, transporting valuable nutrients, hormones, and other important substances all over your body?

Did you know that your brain is made up of approximately 100 billion neurons that communicate with each other & other parts of the body constantly?

Did you know that your bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints all work together as a team to allow you to move with ease?

Did you know that your lungs act as a natural air filtration system?

​Every cell in your body, every muscle fiber, every nook and cranny has a purpose that’s all part of a greater purpose to enable you to achieve yours.

Let’s give our bodies some credit. They’re pretty incredible! So incredible that most of their work goes unnoticed and happens without a hiccup. They forgive us if we mistreat them. And they certainly don’t give up on us easily. They love us unconditionally. So let’s not take our bodies for granted. While they’ll never ask for it and they may not expect it, they deserve a “thank you” too.